Stephen Harper is trying to undermine Canada's fair and open political system. Take Action Now!

Donate to Michael Ignatieff's campaign.As you may have heard, Stephen Harper's Conservative government has proposed that all public funding of political parties be stopped. This is just a cynical attempt to use the economic crisis -- a crisis that Stephen Harper has grossly mismanaged -- to undermine the democratic underpinnings of

Canada's fair and open political system.If Stephen Harper succeeds it will cost the Liberal Party over $7,700,000 per year!

With your help, we can raise money to fight Stephen Harper and his undemocratic plans. That is why, today, I am asking you to make a small donation to the Michael Ignatieff Campaign. Please click here to donate $10, $20 or more, every dollar helps. Please donate today so that we can fight for fair political financing rules.

If you are able to make a longer-term commitment, then please join the Liberal Party Victory Fund. The Victory Fund strengthens both our Party and our riding associations, building our strength at both a national and grassroots level. If you join the Victory Fund right now, you will automatically contribute $25 to Michael's campaign. Please click here to join the Victory Fund.

Michael Ignatieff can only succeed with your support. Canada's fair and open democratic system is worth fighting for.

31 comments:

While perhaps something could be said by some about the timing of this 1st message I received from the Ignatieff camp asking for funds...I seem to recall Obama doing the same thing. He used every thing the Republican government did (mismanagement of just about everything) against them to raise money at every opportunity. And he just kept winning...

James, I’m pretty sure that everyone is well aware that Barack Obama is an American and that we do not have his clone working here in Canada. Yes, you’re right, WE HAVE NO OBAMA. That being said I’m not entirely sure why you felt the need to repeat it, in caps no less.

Woman at mile 0 drew an apt comparison between the strategy used by the Obama fundraising machine and the strategy that Ignatieff is apparently trying. No suggestion was made that Ignatieff was trying to BE Obama. Barack Obama built an incredible fundraising machine and used it to secure his place in the white house. As Liberals, we would be negligent if we ignored the valuable lessons that we can take away from Obama’s example.

I'd have to agree with Jim somewhat on this. Ignatieff on Mike Duffy Live yesterday looked and sounded somewhat opportunistic and even partisan even when he was discussing how there should be bipartisanship. He was saying let's work together and at the same time lambasting Harper/Flaherty for playing politics with the economy. Seems somewhat contradictory to me.

Also, I got that same fundraising letter from Steve MacKinnon, one of the last few people I'd like to get email from.

If Ignatieff were concerned about raising money for the party, he would have sent out an email saying some like "this isn't the time for partisan leadership politics, this is a time to support the party as a whole." But he didn't, he sent this out, which to me, speaks a lot about his priorities, Iggy first, party second, and that the wrong order IMO.

young man...James I wonder why the overwhelming majority of the caucus support mr ignatieff, i wonder why when canvassing on doors liberal after liberal wanted mr ignatieff as leader of the party, i wonder why mr ignatieff gains massive support from past mp's, i wonder why he can raise money and is popular across canada....hmmm i wonder why....you seem to attack him at every point ...why? you supported dion last time around...do you want him again as liberal leader? i really think you have sour grapes ...to the nth degree.....sorry but have to be honest...

also i like mr rae...i think he has gotten a bum rap during his tenure as premier - he tried to change course when he realized that the policies were not the right ones -that is admirable .

Really, this is the kind of thing we have to do if we are going to fight back against Deceivin' Stephen's use of government for petty partisanship that is not in the interest of Canadians. We have to take the fight to Harper and show we are willing to go for his jugular. No letting him off the hook for the deficit he is creating or his fiscal mismanagement. No letting him off the hook for tampering with our democratic rules in a time of economic crisis. No letting him off the hook period. No sitting back and letting the cards fall where they may but leadership in raising money for the party and, by example, for your leadership campaign.

Donate to the Liberals. Donate to a candidate (10% goes to the party). Get involved. Everyone. Now.

"The Liberals are taking the prospect of a coalition so seriously that some MPs are privately discussing ways to dump Stephane Dion as leader without waiting for their party's scheduled May 2 leadership vote.

But party insiders say that with Dion as a lame duck, supporters of leadership front-runners Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae say the question of who would be prime minister in a coalition has become the hot issue."

Its all bad. Cons, Libs, Dips.. nothing good to say for any of them today.

I almost posted on that email too. Crass, egad. Then I thought: the best thing about Ignatieff is he's scrappy, a fighter, cynical, and willing to do what he needs to win. I don't really want to criticize that, even though I think Bob Rae is a far better candidate for leader and PM.

I was also pretty disgusted when I received this email last night.Contrary to what the Iggy apologists on this blog are saying it's not innovative or timely - it reeks of opportunism. No offense, Iggybots, but your team is continuing the traditional of running a low class campaign. Seems you might have learned your lesson.

In contrast to the crass political opportunism of the fundraising email of the Ignatieff campaign I received the following today from Doug Ferguson, President of the Liberal Party of Canada:

"n times of turmoil, Canadians expect their political representatives to set aside partisan difference, roll up their sleeves and get to work protecting their jobs, savings and pensions.

Yesterday’s economic update is a betrayal of that basic principle. Not only have the Conservatives failed to offer any stimulus for the Canadian economy, they have introduced a proposal expressly designed to silence the opposition by eliminating public funding for political parties.

Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty know this proposal is controversial. In fact, they are counting on it to distract you. Together, let’s keep them accountable.

The simple fact is that the Conservatives messed up. In less than three years, they have frittered away a $13 billion surplus and $3 billion contingency fund and are predicting a $6 billion deficit.

But once again, Stephen Harper has put partisan interests ahead of the national interest. At a time when Canadians are looking for a sense of hope, Harper’s Conservatives are looking for political gain.

You deserve better. Canada deserves better.

We need your help now. The Liberal opposition is committed to a fiscal stimulus program that will restore the health of the Canadian economy. The Conservatives insist on playing politics while the economy spirals downward. Please make a donation right now and help make sure we have the resources to hold them to account on your behalf and on behalf of all Canadians.

It's just sad, is what it is. Maybe the culture of the party has been so corrupted by the Chrétien-Martin years that all these Iggy people can't even tell what crosses the line anymore. Raise funds for the party? All in favour. Use crisis to raise funds for a leadership campaign that may soon be over, if we have any wisdom left (as the race will be null & void with Dion as PM)? Low low low.

Sad to see onetime apparently fervent Dionistas like Cherniak now happy to throw the man under a bus to get Iggy in power. Sad to see how little loyalty to democratically elected leaders the party retains.

All the more reason for Dion to be our PM until next election. We chose him to get away from all these dirty old politics. Who better to clean out the stables? Maybe unfair for him to have to the dirty work, yet again, but he's the man. Who else you gonna trust to play fair?